Wet & Dirt

Oh my - and one wonders why I give baths before the guests go home. Well, I do groom them daily but as you can see, they will go in the pool, run through the garden and look - well another colour. One wonders why we don't have carpets.

It is a HOLIDAY you know for the dawgs!

Well, Remy goes home tomorrow night and we will just be down to Missy as our guest til Friday night. Each time someone goes home, the house changes. Then the pack gets back to being their usual and then it starts again. It's great socialization for the guests and for the pack as well. Even the most hesitant dog seems to find him/herself. I rather like that!

The Havanese Tell Secrets

That daddy, letting who know who get on the bed...tsk tsk but we had an early afternoon nap and I had every single dawg on the bed with the exception of Whitney who no longer can do the stairs. That's alright cause anyone who has 19+ old sons in the house knows they don't sleep the same hours we do.

Seeing it's simply a dawg place around here, we are going to let the dawgs talk today. We will let them tell you about THEIR day.

If I didn't think it was a crazy dawg house around here, I do now. They are going to let ME (Gidget) talk first. Shh, they don't know but do I have secrets to tell!

That Katsuro - he thinks he's all that but I have his number! He pees (outside) and I pee right on top of him. Who's the queen biach around this place?

The puppies are confused. They think size somehow tells them the age of a dawg but do they have something to learn. The way they play with me, I swear they think I am a puppy. They even try to duplicate my flirting with Katsuro. Oh, but having had my own pawprint little ones, I have lots of patience and even indugle and engage them in much play. I even have them making a mad dash under the couch - all in fun, you know.

Last night I snuggled up to the female human here and she just snuggled and caressed me with her hand and face all night long off and on. How can a dawg get a decent sleep around this place?

I'm the Shosh and if I have to hear that paw in the light socket story again - I will whine my fool head off.

I used to not have my voice until daddy created a game with the ducks and he taught me that my job now is to alert the pack and I 'get' that but they certainly don't. Why is it okay to bark and tell the pack that ducks are in the pool but not let the pups know my best treat is not up for sharing.

I had a sulking session when mommy made me share with those little ones. Oh, just because Risa's on a diet doesn't mean we all have to get that svelte look.

Risa, you can do it but give me your portion you are missing - will ya? Crazy humans wanting us to be healthy. They need to start with themselves. Shhh...really mommy..I didn't say that but when's the last time I saw you exercising? Tsk, tsk

Okay, it's my turn. Really, I don't mind a house-full of females but you keep inviting boys over so all the girls see what else is out there.

What kind of human parents are you? I mean haven't you taken the class of 'harem 101'?

What - you say you do it so I learn to control myself and gain some manners around all those boys that want my gals? Is this a test?

First you bring Benny my brother over and that was fun and it was too long since the last time he came but then the Oats also came to visit and you know how he feels. He just loves to tease me. But once I 'got' that, I decided the best way to proceed is to play 'top dawg' games back. My heart was racing, my mind was racing and I do adore the Oats but when he went home, I smiled and laid down and went - now Otis - who has the gals now? It's tough competing with such a Don Juan.

I'm the littlest one around here and they expect me to go public with all the secrets around this place? As Jack, Nicholson once said, "You can't handle the truth."

Let's see - they think size matters - and who else climbs up a couch and plops down on the back of the couch? Now who is really top dawg around this place?

They think I shut my eyes to get some needed sleep but I am just resting, thinking and figuring up a new way to create trouble and with my best friend, Abigail - well that's surely is easy. So what if we like eating the wood from the woodpile in front of the fireplace or making a mad dash to jump on the retrievers? Why do those silly humans care what I have in my mouth? It's just a hair ribbon silly. You did put it in Wasabi's hair so I could pull it out, didn't you? come on, find your fun humans!

My big secret is I love to eat and they aren't feeding me enough so I try most anything for food. Here's what I have learned.

1. If you stare at someone long enough, eventually you'll get what you want.

2. Be aware of when to hold your tongue, and when to use it.

3. Leave room in your schedule for a good nap.

Now if you don't know who I am - well I am the Queen Biach around this place. I control EVERYTHING except the food....sigh.

On that note..the rest will have to spill the secrets another day...till later...

Havanese Pay Attention To Me

Oh, it's surely getting cold out today and so bath times will begin - Katsuro first as he is - well a mess - then Wasabi and on and on.

I received a surprise gift from friends who made it - a grooming table so I am jazzed about having something other than my washing machine to stand them on. We shall see how it goes.

Well, here is Sassy - sorely needing a bath herself - still doesn't look so bad but still - it's time. We put a jacket of Shoshi's on as it's rather windy today to practice look at me. Once we have this mastered, we will start heeling.

The first step is to get him/her to gain comfort with the leash, the various mediums, noises etc and then you start training. Some say train from the minute you start but we find that it interferes with the love of the experience. We want the dog to look around, enjoy his surroundings and gain some curiousity and excitement about the process. Then when your dog is excited about getting a collar and lead on, you then start getting them to pay attention to YOU.

First command is an 'attention' command as this will be the core to getting your dog to do what you want. If you want your dogs to listen to you in all circumstances, then you must first have their FULL attention and a method that works.

Attach a very long leash to your dog's collar. Why? Because a short leash doesn't give him enough room to "test" his limits and learn which behavior you're going for. Ultimately, if your dog willingly stays with you on a long leash, then it will be easier to teach him to stay with you willingly on a shorter leash later.

Start by getting your dog's full attention. With the dog standing (or sitting) on your left side, call his name. When he looks at you, reward immediately with a TREAT.

If he doesn't look at you, take a treat to his nose and bring it to your eyes. When you are doing this, say 'Sassy, look.' (trade your dog's name for Sassy) When he looks up at you (really the treat) then reward him. You can also start using a clicker here to get them to understand a click means something positive and this will help you in the long term to wean off of the treat system.

Then, start walking. With each and every step that the dog follows along next to you, TREAT. If he gets distracted, repeat getting him to pay attention to you. If you get to this 2nd step, you have just begun teaching your dog to heel. If you are stuck in the 'attention' portion, it will come. Be patient. It's not about intelligence but creating an atmosphere where they know this is what you want. The key is always make it fun. Do not practice for too long and do not get frustrated. If you are getting frustrated, it's time to stop. You should only be practicing this in 5 to 10 minute intervals. Do not treat when he wanders off or refuses to pay attention to you when you call his name.

When training, feed a tad less to compensate for the addition of training treats.

This is in no way a substitution for training classes. You will be glad that you plunked your money down if you find a quality training centre.

More later.